Breast Cancer Month

For the next three or four weeks we will be inundated with pink. Pink ribbons, pink packaging. Breast Cancer has a very good P.R. manager. There are other diseases. In fact, most women are surprised to learn that their risk of death from heart attack or stroke is greater than the risk of death from breast cancer.

One of my previous jobs involved developing products that would tie in with the Breast Cancer Awareness Month push for October of 2005. I was working on that project for one reason--a department store buyer told us that "people are suckers for that pink ribbon stuff." The contortions I had to go through with the various breast cancer foundations were an event I hope to never have to repeat. Did we have the right colour of pink? Could we guarantee X amount of dollars? And of course they would have to approve any product that we made, for both quality and design. The feel-good world of buying a beribboned item was miles away from the product development process. Miles.

I've never looked at October the same way again.

My humble suggestion? Instead of buying an armload of pink ribbon items, simply send a check to either the Breast Cancer Research Foundation or the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Even a $5.00 check will more than likely be a greater amount than either foundation would see from the percentage of retail profit they receive on pink ribbon merchandise. While you're at it, I would also suggest sending a matching donation to the American Heart Association, earmarking the money for research into women's heart disease.

I would also second the recommendations offered by Mrs. Daily Snark.

If I could ask you to do one thing this month it would be to become an organ donor... educate yourself about diseases, cancer, and get screened for any cancer!

Photo Credit: Botticelli, Sandro. The Birth of Venus Detail c. 1485